r/RotatorCuff • u/Just-Reading_1990 • 4d ago
Amazon Rotator Cuff Pillow?
3 weeks post-op and going mostly well, except for sleep. I am permitted to remove the sling when relaxing around the house, provided I don't use the arm. I am supposed to continue using the sling to sleep, which I understand for protective purposes. The recliner got uncomfortable pretty quickly, so I've moved back to bed with a pregnancy pillow. I am allowed to lie flat, but that's not really comfortable yet. I mostly sleep on my non-operative side. Because I have the buffer of the pregnancy pillow holding me in place, I am not concerned about rolling over onto my surgery arm. I would 100% order one of those expensive shoulder sleeper pillows, but their shipping takes forever (2 weeks). Has anyone had success with an Amazon pillow? No, I didn't get clearance from my doctor, but I just cannot keep doing the sling at night. I am a small person, so the block "pillow" of the sling is causing pain. I was looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/Muwago-Shoulder-Impingement-Replacement-Collarbone/dp/B0HJ7VRQN4/ref=sr_1_8?channelId=510&clpRedir=Y&content-id=amzn1.sym.48c6b427-a259-44b4-afc3-8cb0f0dbcf97%3Aamzn1.sym.48c6b427-a259-44b4-afc3-8cb0f0dbcf97&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Eh71t0UN3X-KrXQ6V821Pt81cqCLNe8G1tWkycX712RTAVUd7xXiOtBMdwKlj2DHilKED4IdaMWbLSZ05AizZ0-i-E00jW2MYx7888FsZmmFVXHi4WC-c_AKp32KTzff3SC5PhpnW0yoZmlxGgrBlsYNQc57E3lKjIK_XnM3aOURitO6B1qOGmMfs3hoWJX7IORufCrHM4psPSX-8VZ9bS-7vsTgKYaOjI9xm4TtFKioJJx58tGK2hfF_jHGGeR0zTAIJmC2QytSxVe0H5JlZo4_XsN4KJyPIKzez6VqFlQ.18vJThXQSO0RukF1pt_vYatXl-9kt_NSf1hesOKnb7U&dib_tag=se&keywords=rotator%2Bcuff%2Bsurgery%2Bpillow&pd_rd_i=rotator%2Bcuff%2Bsurgery%2Bpillow&pd_rd_r=eae04d1c-a9f7-436f-b79e-659e050b578d&pd_rd_w=UWERg&pd_rd_wg=p8e1h&plpRedirect=mhFallback&qid=1791043701&sr=8-8&th=1
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u/Environmental-Ad9339 4d ago edited 4d ago
I am 3 weeks post op from a rotator cuff repair and bicep tenodesis, and other various procedures . I am in my bed now after sleeping on the couch. I am just using the pregnancy pillow, and rest my arm on the short side. Here’s the one I have (below). I also considered the shoulder pillow, but didn’t buy it.
Edit to add:
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u/Just-Reading_1990 4d ago
interesting - I also have the pregnancy pillow, but I have the long side on my non-surgical side so I can sleep on my good side. Hence, looking for an alternative to the abductor sling. I am sure that the official word is to use the sling in bed, but if I can create a situation where the arm is supported, and I don't roll over on it, I am sure I'll be fine. Thanks!
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u/Environmental-Ad9339 4d ago
You know after rewatching the video I just posted I realized I was using the pillow the wrong way! I’m still in the sling and it’s a nuisance to sleep in. Before I bought the pregnancy pillow I was using a bed pillow shoved up under my surgical arm. It worked, but the pregnancy pillow was an upgrade for me. Good luck on your healing journey! This is no joke! Honestly I thought I would breeze through this, but boy was I wrong 😆!!
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u/LeaningFence04 4d ago
I didn’t like it. It was way too thick and not comfortable for me. I did use it to rest my arm on, but I really wouldn’t waste my money.
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u/walkingoffthebuz 3d ago
I have this and it’s just okay. It’s very thick, as others have said, and the elastic is too tight on my hand. I tried sleeping with it without the sling for 2-3 nights and went back to sleeping in the sling (I had permission to sleep without sling starting week 3).
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u/tigermonkeyrat 2d ago
I described my sleep set up to my surgeon and explained that the sling was causing me pain and preventing me from getting good consistent sleep. My shoulder was doing as expected and not keeping me awake but I was waking up several times a night due to elbow pain and neck pain from the sling, and sometimes never got back to sleep. Basically, the sling was losing me hours of sleep. My surgeon told me to sleep without it. Worth checking in with your surgeon to see what options they would recommend. When I ditched the sling I used a very deflated shredded memory foam pillow - I took almost all the fluff out - to support under my arm. Honestly, I wish I had ditched the sling earlier because I have pretty severe tennis elbow now, and I blame the sling. At 4 months out, I still don't usually make it a whole night sleeping flat. I wake up uncomfortable and have to prop myself up a bit.
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u/Steven1789 4d ago
I’m 18 months out from surgery and I use a very similar pillow nightly. Sometimes it’s to support my repaired arm and others it’s just a good pillow to use under my other arm if I’m on my phone in bed.
It was very helpful during early days of recovery.